The Effects of Information Valence and Consistency and Product Type on Consumer Satisfaction

Abstract

In order to develop appropriate strategies for successfully launching new products, advertising and product managers alike must be armed with knowledge about the effects of negative information and the timing of introduction of such information on consumer satisfaction. Additionally, the awareness of the differential effects of the type and timing of information on specific product categories would facilitate development of more effective promotional strategies. In this study, initial exposure to positive or negative product information was followed by exposure to subsequent information with either the same or opposite valence for products representing two products (search and experience). This information was provided prior to actual experience with the products in a behavioral laboratory. Subjects' product satisfaction was used to test hypotheses derived from human judgment theories. As expected, for the product dominated by search attributes, the information treatments did not influence product satisfaction; however, effects were found for the experience product. Moreover, for the experience product, assimilation effects were generally found and, as expected, valence consistency and valence order had a significant impact on the level of subject satisfaction.